Tilting backsplash structure for ranges



March 15, 1955 A. M. YOUNG TILTING BACKSPLASH STRUCTURE FORRANGES FiledAug. 8, 1952 Inventor A! I an M.You1'1 H is fittorney United StatesPatent TILTING BACKSPLASH STRUCTURE FOR RANGES Allan M. Young, Meriden,Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New YorkApplication August 8, 1952, Serial No. 303,316

1 Claim. (Cl. 126-214) This invention relates to cooking ranges and,more particularly, to such ranges provided with tilting backsplashstructure.

Modern ranges are normally provided with an upwardly projecting wall orbacksplash structure at the rear of the cooking top to provide aconvenient housing for fixtures and \equipment such as heating controls,timers, lights, and electrical outlets. In some ranges, the normalheight of the backsplasher has been considerably increased in order toextend its usefulness and to achieve a better balance in design. Suchranges would normally require a larger shipping crate because of theincreased overall height and, in order to avoid the consequent increasein transportation costs, some ranges having a tilting or completelyremovable backsplash structure have been developed. It has also beenfound that a tilting backsplash structure is desirable because itfacilitates the adjustment or repair of the equipment carried by thebacksplasher after the range is installed in a modern kitchen havingoverhead cabinets.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rangehaving an improved tilting backsplash structure whereby the overallheight of the range may be substantially reduced in order that the rangemay be conveniently crated and shipped.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tiltingbacksplash structure for a range whereby the equipment carried by thebacksplasher may be rendered readily accessible from the front of therange to permit adjustment and repair thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a range including acooking top and a backsplash structure having mechanism for mounting thebacksplash structure for tilting movement with respect to the cookingtop between a substantially upright position and a forwardly foldedposition.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a range of thecharacter noted, improved hinge mechanism for mounting the backsplashstructure for tilting movement with respect to the cooking top.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a range of thecharacter noted, improved backsplash structure hinge mechanism forguiding and controlling the position of the backsplash structure betweena substantially upright position and a forwardly folded position.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in theclaim annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

.Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of my invention, Iprovide a pin and slot connected between the backsplash structure andthe cooking top of the range together with cam surfaces associated withhinge ele ments for guiding and supporting the backsplash structure asit is tilted from its upright position to a forwardly folded position.The cam surfaces and the support members which cooperate with the camsurfaces are so arranged that the backsplash structure must be liftedvertically a short distance before being tilted forward along a curvedpath defined by the curved surfaces of the cams. Thus, my inventionprovides a tilting backsplash structure which may either be securelylocked in its upright position or quickly tilted to a forwardly foldedposition over the cooking top.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be made to theaccompanying drawing, in which ice Figure 1 is a side elevation view ofthe upper portion of a range embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front perspective view of the hingemechanism for the backsplash structure and cooking top shown in Figure1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front sectional view of the hingemechanism shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line44 of Figure 3 and illustrating the normal upright position of thebacksplash structure.

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 but shows the backsplash structuretilted to a forwardly folded position.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 3showing a modified form of my invention.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 77of Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly Figures 1 to 5 inclusive,the upper portion of the range illustrated in Figure 1 comprises asubstantially horizontally disposed cooking top 1, terminating adjacentthe rear thereof in an upwardly directed pedestal 2, upon which ismounted an upwardly extending backsplash structure 3. Mounted within thepedestal 2 and backsplash structure 3, which are of hollow construction,is the hinge mechanism of the present invention, including a generallyvertical channel-shaped post 4 and a hinge member or bracket 5. Mountedon cooking top 1 are a plurality of the usual surface heating units 6.The range also includes a range body, an oven and heating unit controls,but these parts do not form a part of the present invention and are notshown.

Preferably, two hinge mechanisms, such as that shown in Figure 2, areemployed to support backsplash structure 3, one being mounted adjacentone side of cooking top 1 as in Figure 3 and the other being similarlymounted adjacent the other side thereof. As best shown in Figure 2, thehinge mechanism comprises a generally vertical channel-shaped post 4, ahinge bracket 5 and an upper latch bracket 7. Vertical post 4 is rigidlymounted on cooking top 1 by fasteners such as rivets or screws securedto rear wall 8 and reinforcing plate 9 is provided to strengthen theconnection. Hinge bracket 5 is rigidly secured to rear wall 10 ofbacksplash structure 3 by suitable fastening means, and latch bracket 7is also rigidly secured to backsplash structure 3 in the same manner. Ahinge pin 11 rigidly secured to the lower portion of binge bracket 5extends through and cooperates with a vertical slot 12 in hinge memberor bracket 13 to form a pin and slot connection. Preferably, and asshown in the drawing, hinge member 13 is integral with post 4. This pinand slot arrangement permits the backsplash structure 3 to be liftedvertically the distance of sllolt 12 and also pivoted about an axisthrough hinge pin A cam surface 14 is formed on the lower edge of hingebracket 5 and cooperates with a cam support 15 projecting from hingemember 13. Cam support 15 may be made integrally with the lower sideportion of post 4 by cutting and bending a rectangular portion out ofthe plane of lower side portion 13. When backsplash structure 3 is in agenerally upright position, as shown in Figure 4, a flat portion of camsurface 14 engages cam support 15 and prevents tilting movement ofbacksplasher 3 until it is raised sufficiently to permit the curvedportion of cam surface 14 to engage cam support 15. One end of camsurface 14 terminates in a projecting stop member 16 arranged to supportbacksplash structure 3 in a predetermined forwardly folded position. Themanner in which these elements cooperate to support backsplash structure3 is best shown in Figure 5.

The upper end of post 4 includes an upwardly projecting end portion 17and a cam surface 18, both of which are arranged to cooperate withportions of latch bracket 7. One portion of latch bracket 7 includes anaperture 19 adapted to receive projecting end portion 17 of post 4 whileanother portion, support member 20, is adapted to engage cam surface 18and support backsplash structure 3 during initial tilting movement fromits substantially vertical position. An opening 21 is, of course,provided in rear wall 10 of backsplash structure 3 to permit tilting ofbacksplash structure 3 without interference with post 4. Theconfiguration of opening 21 may be generally similar to the shape ofpost 4. Preferably, at least a portion of rear wall 10 is removablymounted on backsplash structure 3 to permit access to the equipmentmounted therein.

When the backsplash structure 3 occupies its substantially uprightposition, as shown in Figure 4, the bottom wall of the backsplashstructure 3 is arranged in superimposed relation with respect to the topwall of the pedestal 2 so that cooking top 1 and backsplash structure 3present a unitary appearance. Backsplash structure 3 is securely butreleasably locked in this position by the engagement of end portion 17of post 4 with aperture 19 of bracket 7 and also engagement of thestraight portion of cam surface 14 with cam support 15. If it is desiredto tilt backsplash structure 3 to the forwardly folded position shown inFigure and also in dotted lines in Figure 1, the following procedure maybe followed. First, backsplash structure 3 is raised from pedestal 2until hinge pin 11 reaches the upper end of vertical slot 12. Thismovement is sufiicient to disengage end portion 17 of post 4 fromaperture 19 in bracket 7 and also to place the curved portion of cam 14and cam 18 in alignment with cam support 15 and support member 20 ofbracket 7 respectively. Backsplash structure 3 may then be tiltedforwardly over cooking top 1, being guided and supported initially bycam surface 18 and throughout its movement by cam surface 14. Projectingstop member 16 on bracket 5 limits this tilting movement and supportsbacksplash structure 3 somewhat about cooking top 1. To returnbacksplash structure 3 to its substantially upright position, it is.simply tilted in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, untilaperture 19 is vertically aligned with projecting end portion 17 of post4. At this point cam surfaces 14 and 18 no longer support backsplishstructure 3 and its weight will cause it to drop into the position shownin Figure 4.

In the modified form of my invention, illustrated in Figures 6 and 7,backsplash structure 3 is secured in its substantially upright positionby screw fastener means rather than the latch means shown in Figures 2to 5 inclusive. This modified hinge mechanism comprises a generallyvertical flanged post 22 rigidly mounted on cooking top 1 by fastenerssuch as rivets or screws secured to rear wall 8, hinge bracket 5 rigidlysecured to rear wall of backsplash structure 3 and an upper bracket 23also rigidly secured to rear wall 10. Reinforcing plate 9 is provided tostrengthen the connection between post 22 and cooking top 1. A hinge pin11 rigidly secured to the lower portion of hinge bracket 5 extendsthrough and cooperates with a vertical slot 24 in hinge member orbracket 25 to form a pin and slot connection permitting the backsplashstructure 3 to be lifted vertically the distance of slot 24 and alsopivoted about an axis through hinge pin 11. A cam surface 14 formed onthe lower edge of hinge bracket 5 cooperates with a cam support 26projecting from hinge member 25 in the same way that cam surface 14cooperates with the cam support employed in the first embodiment of theinvention already described above. Thus, when backsplash structure 3 isin a generally upright position, a flat portion of cam surface 14engages cam support 26 and prevents tilting movement of backsplasher 3until it is raised sufficiently to permit the curved portion of camsurface 14 to engage cam support 26.

As illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, backsplash structure 3 is retained inits generally upright position by screws 27 which engage mating flangeportions of post 22 and upper bracket 23. If it is desired to tiltbacksplash structure 3 to its forwardly folded position for crating orservicing, screws 27 are first removed so that backsplash structure 3may be lifted sufficiently to permit the curved portion of cam surface14 to engage cam support 26. Backsplash structure 3 may then be tiltedforwardly over cooking top 1 to a position in which it is supported byengagement of projecting stop member 16 on bracket 5 with support 26. Itwill be noted that backsplash structure 3 cannot be inadvertently tiltedafter the removal of screws 27 because of the engagement of cam support26 with the flat portion of cam surface 14.

While I have shown and described two specific embodiments of myinvention, I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particularconstructions shown and described and I intend by the appended claim tocover all modifications within the true spirit and scope of myinvention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

A range including a horizontal cooking top, backsplash structurearranged adjacent the rear of said cooking top, and a pair ofspaced-apart hinge mechanisms respectively secured to said cooking topand to said backsplash structure for mounting said backsplash structurefor tilting movement with respect to said cooking top between asubstantially upright position and a forwardly folded position; each ofsaid hinge mechanisms comprising a channel-shaped vertical post fixedlysecured to said cooking top, a first bracket fixedly secured to saidbacksplash structure adjacent the lower portion of said post, a secondbracket fixedly secured to said backsplash structure adjacent the upperportion of said post, a vertical slot in one of the lower side portionsof said post, a pin fixed to said first bracket and cooperating withsaid slot to form a pin and slot connection, a first cam surfaceincluding a curved portion formed on the lower edge of said firstbracket, a support for said cam surface projecting from the said lowerside portion of said post in contact with said first cam surface, asecond cam surface including a forwardly extending curved portion formedon the upper portion of said post adjacent said second bracket and anaperture in said second bracket arranged to receive an upwardlyprojecting portion of said post, said first cam surfaces being insliding engagement with said support, and said second cam surface beingin sliding engagement with said bracket during initial forward tiltingmovement of said backsplash structure, whereby said backsplash structureis guided and supported during vertical and tilting movement from saidupright position to said forwardly folded position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,066,560 Westby July 8, 1913 1,951,231 Antrim Mar. 13, 1934 2,132,266Lefevre Oct. 4, 1938 2,453,832 Dadson Nov. 16, 1948 2,554,083 Berg May22, 1951 2,556,555 Reedy June 12, 1951 2,649,531 Woodburn Aug. 18, 1953FOREIGN PATENTS 523,414 Great Britain July 15, 1940

